Meet the Shamans
You will have the unparalleled opportunity to learn first-hand from these wise elder Yachaks (Shamans), and to personally experience their powerful healing ceremonies. They will share with you the Andes cosmology, their perspective of life, and their individual traditional healing practices that have been passed down through many generations.
DOÑA MARIA JUANA and her son Don Raul YAMBERLA
Maria Juana Yamberla and her son Raul reside in San Louis de Agualongo on the slopes of Imbabura mountain in the Otavalo region. Although tiny in size, she is known as the most powerful and fierce medicine woman in the region. Maria Juana’s expertise is in midwifery and women's health. She prides herself on the power of her healing prayers that go directly to God. Since the passing of her husband Antonio, her son Raul has assisted her in her healing work. Maria Juana heals by performing la limpia and using pendulums, flowers, dolls, sacred alcohol, bodywork, massage, and additional methods when needed.
DON JOSE Zambrano
Jose E. Zambrano (Amanaka) is a local medicine man and wisdom keeper. With over 23 years of experience leading groups into remote jungles, mountains and bridging cultures with Amazonic and Andean tribes. Some of the tribes he works with are the Siekopai, Cofan, Kichwa, Achuar and Waorani. He is one of our visionary founders and medicine holder for this powerful ancient spiritual technology.
Yachak Mama Josefina Lema - Medicine Woman
Mama Josefina Lema and her daughters are well-known ancestral medicine leaders of the indigenous movement of the Imbabura province. The strength of Josefina in her care of Pachamama through healing, rituals, and ceremonies. They will share in-depth knowledge of creating the altar for La Limpia, the healing and purification ceremony, and of different diagnostic techniques, including the unique traditional guinea pig. Mama Josefina received an award by the indigenous movement of Ecuador for her critical and historical role in the struggle for the rights of the national and global indigenous peoples.
DON MANUEL CALAZACON
Don Manuel is a member of Tsachila tribe of Santo Domingo de Los Colorados. They are believed to be the holders of secrets of the rainforest, and of healing powers that would heal whenever western medicine or other shamans had failed. He is an expert in energy purification, Plant Medicine and Temazcal (sweat lodge). Legend has it that they are Tainos who fled Puerto Rico when the Spaniards conquered them. The Tsachila mens’ unique hairstyle is fashioned to look like the seedpods of the red achiote, which they used when their shaman asked Spirit to guide them to cure smallpox that had ravaged their community. They were guided to an Achiote bush. A few days after they covered themselves with the red juices of the seedpods, the mortality in the group was drastically reduced.
Taita Manuel with Henry and his younger family.